CHARLES DICKENS DOMBEY AND SON CHAPTER I Dombey and ...

which Mr. Dombey could not comprehend. He therefore responded, with a
considerable accession of dignity. 'Indeed! And why, Carker?'
'I fear,' returned the confidential agent, 'that Mrs. Dombey, never very
much disposed to regard me with favourable interest--one in my position
could not expect that, from a lady naturally proud, and whose pride becomes
her so well--may not easily forgive my innocent part in that conversation.
Your displeasure is no light matter, you must remember; and to be visited
with it before a third party--'
'Carker,' said Mr. Dombey, arrogantly; 'I presume that I am the first
consideration?'
'Oh! Can there be a doubt about it?' replied the other, with the impatience
of a man admitting a notorious and incontrovertible fact.
'Mrs. Dombey becomes a secondary consideration, when we are both in
question, I imagine,' said Mr. Dombey. 'Is that so?'
'Is it so?' returned Carker. 'Do you know better than any one, that you have
no need to ask?'
'Then I hope, Carker,' said Mr. Dombey, 'that your regret in the acquisition
of Mrs. Dombey's displeasure, may be almost counterbalanced by your
satisfaction in retaining my confidence and good opinion.'
'I have the misfortune, I find,' returned Carker, 'to have incurred that
displeasure. Mrs. Dombey has expressed it to you?'
'Mrs. Dombey has expressed various opinions,' said Mr. Dombey, with majestic
coldness and indifference, 'in which I do not participate, and which I am
not inclined to discuss, or to recall. I made Mrs. Dombey acquainted, some
time since, as I have already told you, with certain points of domestic
deference and submission on which I felt it necessary to insist. I failed to
convince Mrs. Dombey of the expediency of her immediately altering her
conduct in those respects, with a view to her own peace and welfare, and my